Our thoughts are comparable to a bucket. We fill it up with positive, negative, constructive or destructive ideas. There are times we will it up to the brim. We might even find ourselves overflowing with ideas that we can no longer contain. Or maybe, we find ourselves with an empty bucket, all ideas exhausted.

I have been in both places. Empty and overflowing.

It is when I just let the ideas flow through me that I find myself overflowing with non-stop ideas about something. I just let my mind drip. The only problem I have is that I don’t have a place to contain my dripping thoughts. This is why this site is born.

I wanted a place where I can collect and contain my thoughts. A place that is free of judgment. An avenue where everybody will just listen. One-way. Just the way I like it.

Though I am aware that some of you might be courageous enough to comment and critique, I welcome them.

Serotonin is created from L-tryptophan, an amino acid that greatly influences mood. It’s a neurotransmitter that is found in the central nervous system, as well as the large blood vessels and intestinal walls. Studies conducted have shown that low levels of serotonin can contribute to everything from weight gain to depression. Boosting levels of this amino acid through natural means and supplementation can help many mood problems.

Symptoms of Low Serotonin

Constant feelings of fatigue, even after 8 hours of sleep or a nap are common in those with low levels of serotonin. Sleep disturbances such as insomnia, restlessness, racing thoughts, or trouble staying asleep have also been reported.

Chronic depression is the most common symptom, with many sufferers turning to alcohol or medication to help deal with their mood swings. Feelings of sadness, low self-esteem, low libido, or a lack of interest in hobbies or activities that one used to find enjoyable are symptoms of depleted levels of this neurotransmitter.

There may also be a craving for sweets or carbohydrates as the brain tries to make more serotonin to boost levels, resulting in weight gain.

Natural Sources of Tryptophan

Out of the ten essential amino acids the body needs, tryptophan is one of them. As just discussed, it plays a big role in supporting the nervous system and those who are low in serotonin could benefit from natural food sources of tryptophan and supplements to promote restful sleep and relaxation. The following foods have the highest levels of naturally occurring tryptophan.

Cottage cheese

Tuna and Salmon

Shrimp

Lean red meats

Chicken and Turkey

Peanuts

Sesame seeds

Lentils

Supplementation with 5HTP

5-HTP is a supplement made from the seeds of Griffonia simplififolia, a legume found in West Africa. Typical daily dosage is 50mg-900mg, depending on the person’s needs. It comes in both powder and capsule form and can be purchased at stores such as Walmart or Walgreens, or online from reputable companies like iHerb.com. It’s best when taken between meals to ensure effectiveness and prevent competition with other amino acids.

Some users have reported mild to moderate side effects that include digestive complaints, muscle pain, lethargy, headache, insomnia, and anxiety. It may help to start out at a lower dose.

Why 5HTP Instead of Tryptophan?

In the late 1980’s a Japanese company, Showa Denko K.K., wanted to increase and accelerate the efficiency of tryptophan and decided to use genetic engineering. The trytophan was immediately sent to the USA without testing the safety of it first. The tryptophan levels were far too high, resulting in a toxic disease known as eosinophilia myalgia syndrome or EMS. Because of this, there were 37 deaths and 1,500 others were permanently disabled. Although the toxin is not present in non-genetically engineered tryptophan, the FDA has restricted it and considers 5HTP to be much safer.

Kate Upton is a model and actress, who is known for being on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Her first appearance on the said magazine was in 2011, which also landed her an award as the Rookie of the Year. She has also graced the cover of Vanity Fair and appeared in the film The Other Woman opposite popular stars Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann. Like other celebrities, she also had her shares of wardrobe malfunctions. This list of Kate Upton’s wardrobe malfunction is something that will get the attention of many guys.

The swimsuit model had a photoshoot in a private mansion in 2014. While waiting for her turn, she chilled out wearing a short skirt.

It seemed like it was a windy day as the model’s skirt was blown showing what’s down under, as well as her cheeks at the bottom.

In 2016, Upton celebrated her 24th birthday with her beau on her side in NYC. She wore a sheer black gown that showed her swimsuit-like bodysuit underneath.

However, her sheer dress failed to keep everything together as it popped and had a hole on the butt part, where the tip of her tong was.

The most popular assets of Kate Upton are her breasts. The “girls” are huge and they look fantastic, especially on her bikini.

While her breasts are almost always popping out on photoshoots, they also almost popped out when the actress tried riding a roller coaster.

In 2015, the gorgeous bombshell attended the Harper’s Bazaar Icons Event wearing a black dress that was high on one side and low on the other.

While it was not a complete wardrobe malfunction, it was close to one as her right breast was about to pop out.

She also accidentally had a wardrobe malfunction that showed her behind as she was trying to get up. This was posted on Snapchat.

Instead of being embarrassed, Upton reacted candidly on the said incident. She reposted the video and added the caption “Nude panties back?”.

Sophie Turner is one of the brightest young British stars today. Her first big role was in Game of Thrones as Sansa Stark. Since then she has had a cult following mainly because of the reach and breadth of the medieval fantasy series. Since turning 16, she has had several tattoos inked on her body. It has been quite a game trying to keep up with all the new tattoos she sports.

HBO’s “A Game of Thrones” has thrown Sophie Turner into the limelight. It has created stars and big names out of a lot of cast members. Unlike the majority of the characters, Sophie’s Sansa Stark looks to be one of the last characters standing.

One of Sophie’s tattoos is a wolf inked on her arm. Observers and fans have said that this is a direct reference to the Stark family, who are represented by the sigil of a direwolf.

Sophie practically grew up on the show. She was 15 when the show started, and with the show’s shooting schedule she took up home schooling. In all respects, she was a normal teenager.

One of her tattoos is that of the date she was cast for the role of Sansa Stark. This is a small tattoo on her arm. It was an important date in her young life.

She also has a tattoo of an X inside a circle inked on her side. Observers note that this is a reference to her role on X-Men.

At the age of 21, she has captured the imagination of a wide audience essaying roles of strong women.

With her elegant and classical features, Sophie does not look like someone who would even think of having tattoos. However, such is not the case.

She is often seen with her boyfriend. A couple tattoo should be there somewhere.

Sophie is not bashful about her tattoos. She has several on her arms and forearms as well as on her wrist.

It is not a problem covering up her tattoos during filming, as she usually wears long sleeves or heavy coats.

CF or Cystic Fibrosis is an alarming condition usual in Australia. This is connected to the genes of a person. This can somehow affect the system of a person. This targets digestion and lungs. The treatments and improvements have a really big impact on the life expectancy of an individual. This is one of the reasons why the medications are meant to extend the span of a person’s living. This is how it is considered. There are many Cystic Fibrosis Facts that have to be put into account. What are these?

How is CF obtained anyway? Usually, it can be on born. The disease may be found even at a very young age. As mentioned, it can be inherited. Needless to say, this is a genetic condition. The parents may be responsible in carrying it to their offspring.

As a child is born with CF, there is a high chance for them not to know that they have the condition. As said, this may originate from the parents. From one parent, a CGF gene is derived from. This may be the aftermath of pregnancy. There is always a chance, one-in-four for instance, that a child will not suffer from CF. As the CF gene is carried, the probability of a child going through CF varies.

There is an alarming number of people carrying the CF gene. In Australia alone, there is a million of individuals carrying the gene. For example, for every 25 Australians, CF gene is present. This may not be known by the person. With this, 80% of these parents who come with a child infected with CF. They may not know it.

Is there an available testing intended for CF? CF has been discovered in the year 1989. This is the time when it was researched. The testing for this is now possible. The gene alone is being mutated in 900 variants. Since this is the case, people who have a history of CF in their family are most likely to be examined. This depends upon the availability of the test. The state in Australia should have a lot to say in here. Information should be checked upon. This comes from the CF Associations anyway. For most of the time, there are genetic services found in Queensland. These are being given by the GHQ or the Genetic Health Queensland. This is also based on the Royal Children’s Hospital. This is situated in Brisbane.

GHQ is responsible in providing an outreach service. This is a way to access genetic counselling even in the nearby town.

The Diagnosis

All the babies in Australia bare screened. This is going to be realized int their birth alone. The instrument utilized here is the blood spot test. This is normally applied. This will prove to be real positive. There are also times when sweat test is undertaken. This is a way for measurement to take place. The amount of sweat salt is given high regard here. This is looked at in the final diagnosis.

Not everyone likes Math. This is the truth. Do not get this wrong though. It does not mean that the subject is meant to make students struggle. It is just that, there are people who are not quick in catching up. Imagine how this four letter word can be really tormenting. This is the sort of feedback parents get from their children. Well, this too may be experienced by parents themselves while tutoring their children. This is one of the reasons why there are fact families worksheets. These are basically meant to assist those who are in need of guidance. These worksheets are not only for Math. There are also those available for other subjects such as English.

It is surprising how Math evolves. It turned out to be a new and different language kids have to be well-accustomed of. The same is also true for parents who want to be effective in the process of helping their kids out. However, not everyone is exempted to the fact that this may be challenging. Just look at simplifying and regrouping. There is a lot of catching up to do in this sense then.

The sad reality is that students, parents and teachers are in the brink of failing math. As mentioned, math is not even a horrible topic to begin with. It is just that, the new rules set a new tone. Of course, it is obvious that most teachers are still doing their best. However, there are standards that they have to impose in the evaluation of students. Parents can do better that relating what is thought today to that of dark ages. These were all dead and gone already. Children should not suffer for numbers are supposed to be fun. The fear in math has to put to halt.

It cannot be denied though that there are kids who are pretty well-versed in Math. They are good in the subject and this talent may be pretty innate. There are those who have the ability to formulate their own devices. This is a way for them to study. It has been realized that parents should be the first one to gauge the capacity of their child when it comes to studying. There is no exemption to sloppy habits. These have to be gotten rid of as soon as possible.

What can parents do in order to guide their children then? They may start by assisting in overcoming the pressure and fear of the students. To stay calm is also the answer. It is quite impossible to be in one’s presence of mind if this is not to be given proper attention. Developing the strong number sense of children may also be the key in the process. For example, count out loud. This should not be embarrassing anyway. Math has always been sequential in nature. Children have to always keep in mind the importance of filling in missing parts. There are workbooks for this anyway. Collaborating with the teacher should be proper too.

One common characteristic of most children with autism is their inability to play with toys. Toddlers will often explore toys with their mouths and by throwing. This is the first step in play development. Pretend play is a more advanced form of play that usually develops later. This type of play is important because it helps develop other skills like imagination, creativity, language and social skills. Pretend play becomes a safe way for children to explore their feelings, ideas and environment. This type of play, however, will not develop on its own in children with autism. Like many other skills, it must be directly taught.

Start with Individual Figures First

Many children with autism are naturally attracted to the many play figures they see on television. Follow the child’s lead when buying play figures.

In the beginning a child might only carry the figurine around. This is fine because from there you can progress to setting up scenes and posing the figures.

Start by sitting the figurine in a chair, lying it on a play bed as if asleep, sitting it at a play table to eat or putting it inside a play car. Make the figurine do the same familiar activities that the child does-eating, sleeping, sitting in a car or watching television. Model the play behavior for the child to imitate.

Introduce Playsets

Once the child is familiar with the figurines, playsets can be introduced. There are many different playsets available. There are pirate ships, western towns, castles, farms, houses and schools to name a few. If able to, let the child choose his favorite. If the child is not interested in any playset in particular then something which he/she can relate to should be chosen, like a house.

According to Melinda J. Smith, M. D. in her book Teaching Playskills to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder [DRL Books, 2001], ” playsets are easy to play with because the setting is fixed and obvious things to do are built into them”.

Make Playscripts

Many parents find it difficult to come up with imaginary scenes to act out with the playsets and figurines. Having a playscript made beforehand can help keep the pretend play flowing. The playscripts do not have to be complicated and can even be copied from favorite television programs, books or movies.

Playscripts can even be illustrated so the child sees the sequence of events and follows them. Parents can model for a while and then prompt the child to do the same. There should be no strict rules to follow.

Monitor Strange Behavior

The only thing to watch out for is strange behavior like toy banging, throwing toys or repetitive actions like opening and closing doors. Often children will become excited while playing and stims (common stereotypical behaviors seen in children with autism) can increase. Redirecting this type of behavior is best until the child stops doing it.

Play helps children develop many skills which is why it is important for children with autism to be able to engage in some form of play. Through play, parents can continue to teach their children language, social and even academic skills. Play is a child’s work and should not be neglected.